Floor clean-up mechanism for continuous mining apparatus



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United States Patent iice FLOOR CLEAN-UP MECHANISM FORV CON- TINUOUS MINING APPARATUS John D. Russell, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner to Joy Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Continuation of abandoned application Serial No. 139,631, January 20, 1950. This application July 27, 195'5, Serial No.v 524,791

Claims. (Cl. 198--9) My invention relates to mining apparatus, and more particularly to Continuous Miners, which are apparatus for mining coal or other suitable minerals from a seam or vein without the use of explosives, and for loading the material removed from the seam or vein as mining progresses.

A.Continuous Miner may in a preferred embodiment, include a mobile base, such as a tractor base, adapted to travel over the oor of a mine and carrying a swiveled frame mounted on the base to swing horizontally relative .thereto and having a frame slidably mounted on it (i.e., on the swiveled frame) for the rectilinear movement :radially with respect to the swivel axis. The Miner may further include a vertically swingable disintegrating mechanism extending forwardly, and desirably including .a plurality of disintegrating elements carried by endless disintegrating chains circulating in similar parallel vertical iorbits, and adapted to disintegrate a vertical band of coal for other mineral by sumping, shearing and Withdrawal movements; and, by adjustments of the horizontally swing- :able swiveled frame, the seam or vein may be disintegrated to the desired width. During its disintegrating operations .the disintegrating mechanism may discharge to a material .receiving conveyor and be deposited by the latter in a hopper, from which hopper a suitably laterally, and, desirably, vertically, adjustable delivery conveyor may dealiver the disintegrated material to a desired point. The .disintegrating apparatus is provided with means for swing- :ing it vertically, and one part of the present invention .resides in improved vertical swinging means for the dissintegrating mechanism. It is also desirable that there be .provided means for collecting and discharging disinte- .grated material to the material delivery mechanism which :shall have associated with it improved means for cleaning anp the mine oor.

With apparatus of the character thus brieiiy identied, :and which it will be understood may undergo substantial variations, there is -a problem of mine bottom cleaneup presented. This is partially because tine pieces of dis- .integrated coal or other mineral tend to fall between the '-disintegrating elements in front of the disintegrating .mechanism during the upswing or shearing operation, and :also because particles or pieces of coal or other mineral tend to ily out from the face with considerable velocity during the upswing operation and some are carried beyond ithe confines of the disintegrating mechanism and scattered Inear the face. This loss of lines to Vthe mine lioor, unless ithe coal or other mineral is collected and removed,`pre -sents a number of disadvantages. These include: lire hazard, dust explosion hazard, increased diiiiculty in mine timbering, loss in tonnage of mineral produced, greater diiculty in maneuvering the apparatus, and increased `cost of rock dusting in coal mining.

The factors of re hazard, dust explosion hazard and increased cost of rock dusting (the last, since the large 'quantities of coal dust are difficult to neutralize against explosions by rock dusting) are so readily understood as to require no explanation. The increased Idiiliculty in 2,908,374 Patented Oct. 13, 1959 mine timbering will be readily understood when it is borne in mind that, in order that the posts or props may be properly set, it is necessary to shovel away any layer of loose coal or other material which overlies the solid bottom so that the props can rest rmly on the iioor. While the line material on the oor is more eX- pensive to clean than the average material that goes over the Miner conveyors, it is still of value and, unless it is loaded and hauled out of the mine, it 'is obviously wasted. That there will be greater diiculty in maneuvering the mining apparatus appears self-evident, but this problem has a number of aspects. In order to keep the apparatus riding on the oor, it is necessary either to clean up the bottom over which the crawlers are to move, or to plow the material out of the paths of the crawler treads. If this is not done, the disintegrating mechanism will not function from the intended level, with the result that changes in adjustment to maintain the iloor at the proper level will be necessary. The apparatus will also be unstable when the crawler treads are not rmly resting on the oor. A self-evident, but possibly likely to be overlooked, factor resides in the fact that it is very diicult to design machines low enough to permit operation in seams of certain low heights, and, if a layer of lines is left on the floor, the expense of minimizing the inbuilt height of the machine is in effect partially wasted.

It will therefore be appreciated that an object of my invention is to provide an improved oor clean-up mechanism. A further object of the invention is to provide an improved mining apparatus having improved oor clean-up mechanism associated with it.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

This application is a continuation of my copending application, Serial No. 139,631, iled January 20, 1950, now abandoned, which is a continuation-inpart of application, Serial No. 95,673 iled May 27, 1949, and now abandoned.

In the accompanying drawings in which two illustrative embodiments and several modications of my invention are shownV for purposes of illustration:

Fig. l is a plan view and Fig. 2 is a side elevationall View of the forward portion of a Continuous Miner in which one illustrative embodiment of the invention is incorporated.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section on the plane of the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on the plane of the line 4 4 of Fig. l, showing a portion'.

of the drive to the gathering or clean-up devices.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View on the plane of the section line 5-5 of Fig. 3, with parts in full.

Fig. 6 is an enlanged transverse vertical section on the plane of the line 6-6 of Fig. l.

Fi 7 is a section on the plane of the line '7-7 of Fig. 3, showing the front end of the front material-receiving conveyor and the clean-up devices per se.

Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 7, but showing the clean-up devices in a more widely extended position.

Fig. 9 is a detail plan view, partially in section, showing the bearing mounting at-the inner end of one of the scrolls.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View on the planes of the sectionl line 10e-i0 of Fig. 8.

Fig. ll is a fragmentary side elevational view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the clean-up mechanism elevated from the mine Hoor.

Fig. 12. is an enlarged end VView of one of the clean-up device drive casings.

Fig. 13 is a detail vertical section on the plane of the line 13-13 of Fig. l2. i

Fig. 14 is a detail vertical section on the plane of the section line 14-14 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the plane of the line 15--15 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 16 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional viewon the plane of the line 16-16 of Fig. 2, with parts broken away.

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View, on an enlarged scale, on the plane of the lineV 17-17 of Fig. 16.

Fig. 18 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the hydraulic system and associated control means.

Fig. 19 is a side elevational view, similar to Fig. 2, showing a modiied form of clean-up mechanism.

Fig. 20 is a plan view, similar to Fig. 8, illustrating the iront conveyor and the clean-up devices of the modied embodiment. v

Fig. 21 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal 'sectional View, showing the .drive for the pump which supplies fluid to the scroll-motors.

Fig. 22 is an enlarged sectional view taken through one of the clean-up devices of Fig. 20.

Fig. 23 is a transverse section taken on the plane of line 23.-23 of Fig. 22.

Fig. 24 is a diagrammatic View showing the hydraulic system and associated control means of thefmodilied embodiment. Y

Fig. 25 is a diagrammatic View similar to Fig. 24,

illustrating a further modification.

Fig. 26 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 25, illustrating still another modification.

The mining and loading apparatus (Contnuous Miner) of the present invention is an improvement over the one shown in the John R. Sibley application, Serial No. 102,996, tiled July 5, 1949, now matured into Patent No. 2,798,713, granted July 9, 1957. As shown in the drawings it consists generally of a mobile support or base 1 having a frame 2 which has swiveled thereon, to swing about a vertical axis at 3, a horizontal supporting frame or turntable 4. This turntable has a horizontal portion 5 projecting forwardly in advance of the base 1, and guided on this horizontal frame portion for movement rectilinearly thereon in a radial direction relative to the axis oftumtable rotation is a sliding frame or support 6 on which a swingable frame or bar structure 7 is pivotally mounted on a horizontal transverse axis at 8 to swing in vertical planes with respect to the sliding frame, and to swing horizontally with the swiveled supporting frame or turntable 4 relative to the base 1. The vertically swingable frame or bar structure 7 extends forwardly in advance of the swiveled frame 4, with its pivotal axis located, when the sliding frame 6 is retracted, a substantial distance in advance of the base. The swingable frame structure 7 carries a mine vein-attackingand disintegrating mechanism generally designated 9, for dislodging and disintegrating the coal or other mineral in relatively wide vertical segments from a solid seam or vein. A front loading conveyor kon the sliding frame receives the disintegrated material discharged from the vein-attacking .and disintegrating mechanism 9 and delivers it rearwardly. In view of the .fullillustration in the Sibley application of the arrangements for receiving material from the front loading conveyor 10 and delivering it to a point at the rear of the machine, the specific structure need not be fully described here, but it includes as shown a hopper 11 carried in the base 1 and having a delivery conveyor 12 associated with it. A

The front loading conveyor 10 has V-a mine bottom or ,floorclean-up function, as will shortly appear. The loading conveyor 10 extends from a point 13 closely adjacent the mine bottom, upwardly rearwardly and then horizontally rearwardly to a point 14 overlying the hopper l 11, and it delivers not only the disintegrated material dis- `charged to it by the vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism 9 but also the material pikd 11p I'QII! the 4 mine floor. Carried by the sliding frame 6 beneath the rearward portion of the vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism 9 and partially underlying the front end of the loading conveyor 10 is an improved clean-up mechanism 15 which will shortly be more fully described.

The vein-attacking and disintegrating mechanism 9 includes the bar or frame structure 7 and the mechanism 9 is driven by gearing (partially shown in Fig. 16) enclosed in gear casings 25; the gearing being driven through telescopic shafting 26 by motors 27 carried at the sides of the turntable and relative to which the sliding frame 6 is reciprocable. The motors drive through transmission mechanism 29, an endless ight conveyor 39 which forms a part of the front loading conveyor 10. This front loading conveyor 10, the gear housings 25 and their contained gearing, and the disintegrating mechanism 9 are adapted to be advanced and retracted with the sliding frame 6 with respect to the turntable 4 by hydraulic feed cylinder and piston mechanisms 30, to which uid may be supplied'from a suitable source not shown except in the diagram of Fig. 18.

The front loading conveyor 10 has vertical side plates 51. These at their rear ends support casing elements 52 (Fig. 6) which house bearings 53 in which there are journaled stub shafts 54 which have squared portions 55 to the inside of the side plates 51, and these are connected by their polygonal ends with chain sprockets 56, which are adapted to drive side chains 57 for a purpose later to be described. The side chain driving sprockets 56 have coaxial sleeve portions 59 on each of which there is secured a sleeve member 60, and the aligned sleeve members 60 at their ends adjacent to each other surround and are secured to tubular hub portions 61 of a conveyor chain driving sprocket 62. This cooperates with and drives the center flight conveyor chain 63 of the front loading conveyor 10. Referring to Fig. 6, it will be noted that one o f the shafts 54 has an extension 64'to which there is secured at 65 a worm wheel 66, with which a worm 67 mounted in a housing 68 and rotated by the transmission mechanism 29 previously described, engages. It will vbe understood, accordingly,l that the transmission 29 drives the conveyor chain 63 of the front loading conveyor 10 and also drives the pair of drive chains 57, shortly further to be described.

The front loading conveyor has a pivoted front end 70, the side plates 51 have openings 72 (Fig. 5) in which there are received pivot sleeves 73 which are bolted to the vertical plates 51. These pivot sleeves 73 are surrounded by bushed openings 74 formed in vertical plate portions 75 which form side elements of the pivoted front end 70. These plates 75 have disposed inwardly of themthat is toward the center of the conveyor, parallel plate portion 76. The plate portions 75 and 76 have openings 77 in which bearing portions 78 formed on sleevelike portions 79 of castings 80 are rotatably received. Al split clamp 81 disposed between the plate portions 75 and 76 and surrounding the bearing portions of the castings hold' the castings-one at either side-in position with respect to the pivoted front end end 70 of the front conveyor. The sleeve portions 79 support bearings 82, in which stub shafts 83 are journaled,. and these stub shafts have mounted on their mutually adjacent squared ends sleeves 84,` which support an idler roller 85, about which the front end of the conveyor'chain 63 is guided. The side plates 51 are connected by a conveyor deck plate 86 and underlying return deck plates 87. The pivoted front end 70 of the front loading conveyor has a deck plate 88 which constitutes an extension of thedeck plate 86. The castings 80 are rockable about the axis of the idler roller 85. The pivoted front endA 70 and the parts which it supports may be raised and lowered at its front end about the pivots provided at 74. An elevating cylinder 89, supported at 90 from the return deck plate 87 and pivotally connected at 91 to the pivoted front end 70, may effect the raising and permit the lowering mentioned, as hereinafter explained.

Thepivoted front end 70 is dished at 92 so that the forward run of the conveyor chain 63 will be partially housedV at its bottom end and suitably beveled surfaces 93, 94 and 95 (see Figs. 7 and 8) are provided at the front end 70 and adapted to rest on the mine floor to guide cuttings or other loose disintegrated material on the floor to the conveyor.

At the inner side of the forward end of the conveyor there are arranged gathering or clean-up devices. These are driven by the side chains 57, which drive sprockets 100 (Fig. 5) fxedly secured to transversely extending shafts 101 journaled at 102, 102 in sleeve members 103 adjustably secured to the side plates 51 to permit chain tension adjustment. The shafts 101 drive through Rzeppa universal drive connections 104, externally splined shafts 105 of telescopic shaft mechanisms 106 (Figs. 7 and 8), whose internally splined elements 107 are connected with other Rzeppa universal connections 108, which are mounted on short shafts 109 (Fig. 14) in two-part gear housings 110 carried at the outer ends of clean-up scroll housings 111 forming parts of clean-up scroll arrangements 112. These clean-up scroll arrangements include generally semi-cylindrical pick-up plates 113, pivotally connected as at 114 by multiple hinge connections 115 to lugs 116 on the castings 80. The arrangement is such, noting that the pivotal connections are so formed as to provide a certain amount of freeplay, that the clean-up devices may swing forwardly and backwardly about generally upright axes and that the upright axes mentioned are turnable about horizontal axes to a limited degree by reason of the fact that the castings 80 are pivotally mounted at 78 as previously explained. Evidently, the clean-up devices may have universal pivotal connections of any desired form with the castings 80, to obtain the desired pivotal movement.

Each conveyor scroll arrangement includes a scroll or spiral conveyor in the form of a helix 120 mounted on a tubular shaft 121 journaled at its inner end in a bearing 122 (Fig. 9) supported by a short shaft 123 threadedly secured at 124 in a bracket 125 formed integral with a pick-up plate 113. The outer ends of the scroll-shafts 121 have splined connections 126 (Fig. 13) for connecting them with shafts 127 journaled as at 128 in the gear housings 110. Each shaft 127 carries a gear 130 xed thereto and driven by a gear 131 mounted on a shaft 132 journaled at 133 and 133 in the gear housing 110. A gear 135 carried on a shaft 136, journaled as at 137, 137 in the gear housing 110, and driven by the Rzeppa connection 10S, meshes with and drives the gear 131. It will thus be seen, noting the telescopic drive connection and the pivotal mountings described, that the scrolls or spiral conveyors can swing backward and forward about an upright axis and can turn--though only to a limited degree as will shortly be explainedabout a horizontal transverse axis. The Aconveyor scrolls have their pick-up plates 113 prevented from undue turning about the pivotal mountings 77, 78, by links 140 pivotally connected at 141 to brackets secured to the vertical side plates 51 and as at 142 to the extreme rearward ends of the castings 80.

The gathering or clean-up devices can be swung in and out by double acting hydraulic cylinder and piston mechanisms 150. These include cylinders 151 pivotally connected at 152 to lugs 153' on the castings S0 and having pistons 154 provided with piston rods 155 pivotally connected at 156 to the pick-up plates 113. Fliud may be admitted to the opposite ends of the bores 157 of the cylinders 151 to eiect inward and outward swinging of the clean-up devices.

`The gathering or clean-up devices' are so supported that they will be advanced during sumping of theA disintegrating mechanism 9 r and retracted during the withdrawal of the disintegrating mechanism. It is desirable that they should advance angularly into the position thereof shown in Fig. 8 before sumping of the disintegrating mechanism commences and accordingly means is provided for opening a uid supply connection to them simultaneously with the supplying of fluid to the sumping and withdrawal cylinder and piston mechanisms 30. To this end a valve .mechanism generally designated 160 (Figs. 17 and 18) isV mounted as at 161 to reciprocate with the disintegrating mechanism relative to the stationary motors 27. This valve mechanismk includes a casing 162 having a bore 163. A two-spool slide valve 164 suitably packed as at 165 and'166 is normally biased towards closed position by ay spring 167. The valve 164 has a peripheral groove-168 and is provided with a valve stem 169 which is engageable with a relatively stationary surface, 170 on the sliding support 6 as for example an end surface of a motor 27. The groove 168 is long enough to permit connection, in the position of the valve shown in Fig. 17 between aV supply groove 172 and a groove 173 which communicates with a conduit 174 connected as will shortly be described. It will be evident that fluid will be supplied to the conduit 174only when the valve 164 is in retracted position and that as soon as the casing 162 has moved far enough to let the valve 164 move to the other end (from Fig. 17) of its casing, the iluid delivery to the conduit 174 of fluid will be interrupted and the uid, practically speaking, will be entrapped Within the cylinder and piston devices 150. A check valve 175 controls lowV of fluid from the conduit 174 to the conduit 2'05, so that, when the latter is connected to exhaust, iluid may flow from the rear ends of the cylinder and piston devices 150, past the device 160, to exhaust, as later explained.

The operation of the invention may be madeV clear by describing the hydraulic system used for control. A hydraulic fluid supply tank (Fig. 18) furnishes hydraulic fluid to a suitably driven pump 181 through a conduit 182, andthe pump delivers iluid through a conduit 183 to a valve box 184, this valve box being of the type in which a plurality of conventional slide valve devices 185 and 187 are arranged, these valve devices permitting free now-through of fluid when in central position, and the valve box incorporating a usual relief valve (not shown) set to permit the return of iluid through a return line 188 to the tank 180 when the pressure in the line 183 exceeds a desired value. The valve device 185 is movable alternately to supply fluid to-or to permit discharge fromthe cylinder and piston mechanism 89, so that the front end, `or nose, of the clean-up mechanism 15 can be raised from the mine floor as illustrated in Fig. 1l, if desired. The valve device 187 is adapted to eect the supply of fluid through a conduit 193 and concurrently to vent uid from a conduit 194, or to supply uid through the conduit 194 and to vent fluid from the conduit 193. The conduits 193- and 194 lead to cross-connections 195 and 196, respectively, the cross-connection 195 connecting the rear ends of the sumping and withdrawing cylinders 30, While the cross-connection 196 connects the front ends of the sumping and withdrawing cylinders 30. The cylinder and piston mechanisms 150 have their rearward ends connected by a cross-connection 201 and their front ends connected by a cross-connection 202. The conduit 193, leading to the rear ends of the sumping and withdrawing cylinders 30, is connected by a conduit 205, under the control of the valve mechanism 160, with the conduit 174, which leads to the cross-connection 201 maintaining the rear ends of the cylinder and piston devices 150 in communication with each other. A conduit 206 connects the cross-connection 202 with the conduit 194. A pressure relief valve 207 and conduits 208 and 209 are adapted to permit the passage of uid from the conduit 17'4' to the conduit 206 if a predetermined pressure is exceeded in the cylinders 151.v It will be understood that whenever uid is admitted to the conduit 193 it will pass to the conduit 174 if the valve mechanism 160 will permit such ow, and accordingly, fluid will be supplied to the cylinder and piston mechanisms 150 associated with the clean-up mechanism 15 at the same time it is connected in communication with the feed cylinders 30 and tends to effect a sumping movement of the disintegrating mechanism 9. As soon as the sumping movement has started, communication between the conduits 205 and 174 will be shut off, and only in the event that its encountering an exceptional resistance due to one of the clean-up devices engaging an obstruction causes an excessive pressure to be built up in the conduit 174 so that fluid may escape via the relief valve 207, will fluid escape from the cylinder and piston mechanisms 150 before the withdrawing movement of the disintegrating mechanism commences. When fluid is admitted to the forward ends of the sumping and withdrawing cylinders 30 it will also be admitted to the outside ends of the cylinder and piston mechanisms 150, and the inner ends of the mechanisms 150 are connected to exhaust through the check valve 175 and conduit 193 connected at that time to the tank 180, with the result that these mechanisms 150 will operate to retract the clean-up devices during or prior to retraction of the disintegrating mechanism. Evidently, when the front ends of the cylinders 30 are supplied with fluid under pressure, under the control of the slide valve 187, the rear cylinderends are connected to exhaust, and as a result, at that time there is no pressure in the conduit 193. Thus, the uid may readily flow from the conduit 174 past the check valve 175. By suitably proportioning the areas of the cylinder and piston mechanisms 150, it is possible to cause the clean-up devices to assume thepositions of Fig. 8, before sumping actually starts, and to return to the position of Fig. 7, before retraction of the disintegrating mechanism commences.

In Figs. 19 to 24 inclusive the modified embodiment of the invention is disclosed. In this embodiment the conveyor scrolls, their housings and pivotal mountings and the swing cylinders are similar to those of the embodiment above described. In this instance, however, the drive chains and the telescopic universal shaft connections for driving the scrolls are omitted and the scrolls are driven by independent hydraulic motors 215, 215 which derive their power from an independent source of liquid under pressure. The scroll housings 111' are -pivoted at 115' on the castings 80 and the scroll shafts -121 are journaled at. their inner ends in bearings 216 carried by brackets 125 and at their outer ends in bearings 217 and 217' supported by outer gear housings 218 secured to the scroll housings 111. The motors 215 are mounted at the rear sides of the scroll housings on plates 219 secured to the housings and fixed to the motor shafts 220 are spur gears 221 meshing with spur gears 222, the latter being xed to shafts 223 arranged parallel with the scroll shafts as shown in Fig. 22. The shafts 223 are journaled in bearings 224 and 224' supported within the housings 218 and have secured to their outer ends spur gears 225 meshing with spur gears 226. The gears 226 are suitably journaled on shafts 227 secured to the gear housings and mesh with and drive spur gears 228 secured to the outer ends of the scroll shafts 121'. Liquid under pressure may be supplied to the motors 215 from a pump 229 driven through a belt and pulley connection 230 .(Fig. 21) from one of the motors 27. The pump is of the dual type and has its intake side connected by a conduit 231 to a hydraulic fluid supply tank 232 and the pump discharges are connected by separate conduits 233 and 234 to the intake sides of the motors 215. The dislcharge sides of these motors are connected by branch conduits 235 and 235 to a return conduit 236 leading back to the tank 232.

inner ends of the mechanisms 150.

As in the other embodiment above described the cleanup mechanism is so supported that it will be advanced during sumping of the disintegrating mechanism 9 and 'retracted during the withdrawal of the disintegrating mechanism. Also as the clean-up mechanism is advanced with the-disintegrating mechanism the conveyor scrolls swing forwardly and inwardly about their pivots to move any loose material on the mine oor toward the receiving end 70 of the front loading conveyor 10. Accordingly in this modified embodiment the control valve mechanism 160 effects control of the flow of liquid under pressure to the swing cylinders 151 for the scrolls in coordination with liquid flow to the feed cylinders 30 for the disintegrating mechanism 9. Thus in this embodiment as in the other embodiment, whenever uid is admitted to the conduit 193 it will pass to the conduit 174 if the valve mechanism 160 will permit such flow, and accordingly, uid will be supplied to the cylinder and piston mechanisms associated with the clean-up mechanism the same time it is connected in communication with the feed cylinders 30 and tends to effect sumping movement of the disintegrating mechanism. Likewise, when uid is admitted to the forward ends of the sumping and withdrawing cylinders 30 it will also be admitted to the outer ends of the cylinder and piston mechanisms 150 while their inner ends are connected to exhaust past the check valve 175, with the result that these latter will operate to retract the clean-up devices during or prior to retraction of the disintegrating mechanism. The motors 215 are operated to drive the conveyor scrolls in unison whenever the motors 27 are operated to drive the disintegrating mechanism 9, so that during the dislodging operation, the conveyor scrolls are continuously driven. Since the manner of use of the clean-up devices of this embodiment is similar to that of the other embodiment further description of the manner of operation thereof is unnecessary. v

In the modication shown in Fig. 25, the hydraulic connections are similar to those shown inFigs. 18 and 24, with the exception that the valve and the check valve and their associated connections are omitted,

and the conduit 174 is connected directly to the conduit 193. Thus, when the slide valve 187 is positioned to effect uid supply through conduit 193 to the rear ends of the feed cylinders 30 it may concurrently flow through conduit 174 to the inner ends of the cylinders 151 of the cylinder and piston mechanisms 150, so that when the cylinders tend to effect sumping movement of the disintegrating mechanism the conveyor scrolls are swung forwardly and outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 8. Conversely, when iluid under pressure is supplied to the front ends of the cylinders 30 to effect retraction of the disintegrating mechanism fluid concurrently Hows through conduits 194 and 206 to the outer ends of the cylinders of the cylinder and piston mechanisms 150 to effect 'retraction of the conveyor scrolls to the position shown ,associated with the control valve 160, is omitted. In

this instance, when iluid under pressure is supplied through conduit 193 under the control of the slide valve 187 it concurrently Hows past the valve 160 to the inner Iends of the cylinders 151 of the cylinder and piston mechanisms 150 to effect forward and outward swinging of the conveyor scrolls. As in Figs. 21 and 27 when the disintegrating mechanism is initially advanced by the cylinders 30, the valve 160 closes to trap the uid in the When the slide valve 187 is positioned to supply uid to the front ends of the cylinders 30 to elfect retraction of the disintegrating mechanism it concurrently flows through conduits 194 and 206 to the outer ends of the mechanisms 150, but since the valve 160 effects trapping of the fluid in the 9, inner ends of the cylindersV '1 the conveyor scrolls are maintained in their extended position shown in Fig. 8, until the valve stem 169 engages the surface 170 to effect opening of the valve 164, thereby to connect the conduit 174` to` the conduit 205 which is at that time connected to exhaust, and as a result, as the disintegrating mechanism approaches its full-y retracted position, the conveyor scrolls are swung rearwardly and inwardly to their retracted position. It is desirable, however, under most conditions, to retract the conveyor scrolls upon initiation of retractive movement of the disintegrating so that the possibility of the conveyor scrolls striking against some obstruction such as a roof prop as they are moved rearwardly, is substantially reduced.

As` a result of this invention an improved Continuous Miner is provided whereby any loose material which has fallen to the mine ioor during the dislodging operation is'effectively gathered and moved toward the receiving end of theV conveying means of the apparatus. By mounting the gathering devices at thel opposite sides of the' receiving end of the conveying means and by causing the gathering devices to swing forwardly and outwardly as the disintegrating mechanism is stunped into the solid coal or other mineral to be disintegrated any loose material' on the mine floor ismoved inwardly toward the receiving end of the conveying means. The provision of the novel mounting means for the conveyor scrolls at the sides of the tiltable forward end portion of the conveying means enables the conveyor scrolls to be readily elevated from the mine floor during transport of the apparatus. Moreover the novel pivotal mountings for the conveyor scrolls permit the latter to yield upwardly as they pass over an uneven or rolling floor or in the eventV the scrolls should encounter some obstruction. The clean-up mechanism is not only exible in operation and relatively compact but is also comparatively simple and rugged in design, well adapted for its intended purpose. These and other advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

Several important advantages are obtained with the present invention. By reason of the fact that the special mounting of the scrolls results in the axes of the scrolls at their immediately adjacent ends being further forward than the foot shaft of the conveyor when the scrolls are in nearly alinedV relation, the material movedV from the mine bottom toward the conveyor is brought into most advantageous relation to the conveyor structure and the other parts of the apparatus.. The employment of scrolls which are driven continuously provides, in contrast to certain prior art devices in which claw-like mechanisms are swingable toward each other, clean-up mechanism constantly acting on any material which is within reach of the scrolls, rather than a bite-by-bite effect. The provision, for the control of the clean-up devices and the sumping and withdrawing devices, of cylinder and piston mechanisms for swinging the clean-up devices relative to the frame and for advancing the frame relative-to the base, of which the tirst mentioned cylinder and piston mechanism has -a greater ratio of power to load as it performs its working stroke than the latter as it performs its working stroke, when both are supplied with fluid at the same pressure, and the provision of means for subjecting both. the cylinder and pistonA mechanisms concurrently to iiuid from the same source of pressure, including a valve constituting a common control for said cylinder and piston mechanisms provides automatically a simple, one-handed control insuring the desired order ofA scroll advance and frame advance and maximum cleanup effect; and this structure is incorporated in many conbodily advanced when in its relatively forward position"A its end leaves a wall of loose coalfwhich tends to tumble as soon as the end passes it. If the scroll: were retracted without being swung back inwardlymuch of this tumbled wall would be dragged back and lost, but with swinging of the scroll in before retraction rectilinearly this collapsed coal, so to speak, will remain undisturbed for the scroll to act upon it on the next advance of the scroll.

While there are in this application specifically described two forms which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that these forms of the same are shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. In combination, a base, a frame mounted for advance and retraction with respect to said base, a conveyor supported by said frame for moving material, mine oor clean-up devices supported by said frame at opposite sides of said conveyor forV swinging movement relative to said frame between positions substantially rearwardly inclined with respect to said conveyor and positions at least relatively nearly perpendicular to the centerline of said `conveyor at the forward end thereof, each of said clean-up devices comprising a scroll rotatable in said last mentioned position of said devices with its periphery at least in close adjacency to the mine floor, means for swinging said devices forwardly relative to said frame, to said positions relatively nearly perpendicular to the center line of said conveyor including cylinder and piston mechanism `associated with said devices, means for thereafter advancing said frame and said devices concurrently at like rates including cylinder and piston mechanism `associated with said frame, said rst mentioned cylinder and piston mechanism having a greater ratio of power to load as it performs its working stroke than the second as the latter performs its working stroke, when both are supplied with uid at the same pressure, and means for subjecting both of said cylinder and piston mechanisms concurrently to pressure fluid at the same source pressure including a valve constituting a common control for said cylinder and piston mechanisms.

2. The combination defined in claim 1, in which said conveyor has a footshaft and said scrolls have supports on which they are rotatably mounted for turning on their longitudinal axes and said supports have between them and said frame pivotal connections on generally vertical and generally horizontal axes each olfset from thev axes of said scrolls and said scrolls have their axes in advance, at their mutually adjacent ends, of the foot shaft of said conveyor when they are in their positions at least relatively nearly perpendicular to the center line of the conveyor.

3. In combination, a base, al frame mounted for advance and retraction with respect to said base, a conveyor supported by said frame for4 moving material and having `a foot shaft, mine floor clean-up devices connected to said frame at opposite sides of said conveyor for swinging movement relative to said frame between positions substantially rearwardly inclined with respect to said conveyor and positions at least relatively nearly perpendicular to `a vertical plane including the center line of the conveyor at the forward end thereof, each of said cleanup devices comprising a scroll rotatable in said last mentioned position of said devices lwith its periphery at least in close adjacency to the mine floor, means for driving said scrolls in -a direction to move material toward said verticalplane, means for swinging said devices forwardly relative to the frame to said position relativelynearly perpendicular to said vertical, plane including cylinder and piston mechanismassociated with said devices, means for advancing said frameand said devices at like rates including cylinder 'and piston mechanismassociated with said frame, and fluid supply means for said cylinder and VH piston mechanisms providing a coordinated control thereof, said scrolls having supports onrwhich they are rotatably mounted for turning' on their longitudinal axes and said supports having between'them and said frame pivotal connections providing for upward and downward, as well as forward and rearward, movement of the outer ends of said scrolls, and said scrolls having their axes laterally oifset from said pivot connections and in advance, at their mutually adjacent ends, of the foot shaft of said conveyor when they are in their positions at least relatively nearly perpendicular to said vertical plane.

Y 4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which said pivotal connections include at least two pivots respectively horizontally and vertically disposed. Y

5. In combination, a base, a frame mounted for advance and retraction with respect to said base, a conveyor supported by said frame for moving material, mine floor clean-up devices supported by said frame at opposite sides ofsaid conveyor for swinging movement relative to said frame between positions substantially rearwardly inclined with respect to said conveyor and positions at least relatively nearly perpendicular to the center line of said conveyor at the forward end thereof, each of said clean-up Vdevices comprising a scroll rotatable in said last mentioned position of said devices with its periphery at least in close adjacency to the mine floor, means including cylinder and piston mechanism for swinging said devices forwardly relative to said frame, to said positions relatively nearly perpendicular to the center line of said conveyor and for swinging said devices rearwardly relative to said frame to said positions substantially rearwardly inclined with respect to said conveyor, means including cylinder and piston mechanism for thereafter advancing said frame and said devices concurrently at like rates, said positions substantially rearwardly inclined with respect to said conveyor, to said positions substantially rearwardly inclined with respect to said conveyor and for thereafter retracting said frame and said devices concurrently `at like rates, said first mentioned cylinder and piston mechanism having a greater ratio of power to load as it performs its working stroke than the second as the `latter performs its working stroke, when both are supplied with iiuid at the same pressure, and means for subjecting both of said cylinder and piston mechanisms concurrently to pressure fluid at the same source pressure including a valve constituting a common control for said cylinder and piston mechanisms.

6. In combination, a supporting frame, a scroll housing projecting laterally from said frame at one side of the latter, a universal pivotal mounting for said housing 'at its inner portion on the adjacent side of said frame Vwhereby said housing may have limited tilt in vertical planes and may swing in horizontal planes relative to said frame, a conveyor scroll arranged horizontally within said housing with its bottom close to the floor, said hous- .ing having its forward side and bottom open to expose said scroll whereby when said housing swings forwardly yhorizontally loose material on the oor is engaged by said scroll and moved over the oor inwardly through said housing to discharge at the inner end of said housing, lmeans operatively associated with said housing and Voperatively connected to said scroll at its outer end for rotating said scroll, and an extensible power device operatively vconnected between the adjacent side of said frame and `the outer portion of said scroll housing for swinging the latter horizontally about its pivotal mounting relative to said frame to force the exposed side of said scroll into 'the loose material to be gathered and a pivotal mounting for said power device is provided whereby said power ydevice may tilt in vertical planes and swing horizontally with said scroll housing.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein said rotating means for said scroll includes extensible drive lshafting extending between said frame and the outer portion of said scroll housing generally in the same direction as said extensible power device and moving horizontally angularly relative to said power device during swinging of said scroll housing.

. V8. In combination, a supporting frame, a scroll housing projecting laterally from said frame at one side of the latter, a universal pivotal mounting for said housing at its inner portion on the adjacent side of said frame whereby said housing may have limited tilt in vertical planes and may swing in horizontal planes relative to said frame, a conveyor scroll .arranged horizontally within said housing with its bottom close to the floor, said housing having its forward side and bottom open to expose said scroll whereby when said housing swings forwardly horizontally loose material on they floor is engaged by said scroll and moved over the floor inwardly through said housing to discharge at the inner end of said housing, means operatively associated with said housing and operatively connected to said scroll at its outer end for rotating said scroll, said frame having forward retilinear movement near the floor level, power means for advancing said frame rectilinearly to feed the forward exposed side of said scroll into the material to be gathered, and means for coordinating the operation of said extensible power de- Nice with that of said power means whereby said scroll swings horizontally forwardly on its pivotal mounting into its foremost position prior to rectilinear advance of said scroll with said frame, and said scroll swings rearwardly into retracted position prior to retraction of said frame, all in a definite sequence.

9. In combination, a base, a frame mounted for advance and retraction with respect to said base, a conveyor supported by said frame for moving material, mine floor clean-up devices supported by said frame at opposite sides of said conveyor for swinging movement relative to said frame between positions substantially rearwardly inclined with respect to said conveyor and positions at least relatively nearly perpendicular to the center line of said conveyor at the forward end thereof, each of said clean-up devices comprising a gatherer movable in said last mentioned position of said devices with its periphery at least in close adjacency to the mine iloor, means including cylinder and piston mechanism for swinging said devices forwardly relative to said frame, to said positions relatively nearly perpendicular to the center line of said conveyor and for thereafter advancing said frame and said dew'ces concurrently at like rates including cylinder and piston mechanism associated with said devices for swinging them relative to said frame and cylinder and piston mechanism associated with said frame for advancing it relative to said base, said rst mentioned cylinder and piston mechanism having a greater ratio of power to load as it performs its working stroke than the second as the latter performs its working stroke, when both are supplied with fluid at the same pressure, and means for subjecting both of said cylinder and piston mechanisms concurrently to pressure fluid at the same source pressure including a valve constituting a common control for said cylinder and piston mechanisms.

10. In combination, a base, `a frame mounted for advance and retraction with respect to said base, a conveyor supported by said frame for moving material and having a foot shaft, mine floor clean-up devices connected to said frame at opposite sides of said conveyor for swinging movement relative to said frame between positions sub'- stantially rearwardly inclined with respect to said conveyor and positions at least relatively nearly perpendicular to a vertical plane including the center line of the conveyor at the forward end thereof, each of said cleanup devices comprising a gatherer movable in said last mentioned position of said devices with its periphery at least in close adjacency to the mine floor, means for driving said gatherers in a direction to move material toward said vertical plane, means for swinging said devices forwardly relative to the frame to said position relatively nearly perpendicular to said vertical plane, means 13 including cylinder and piston mechanism for advancing said frame and said devices at like rates, and Huid supply means for said cylinder and piston mechanisms providing a coordinated control thereof, said gatherers having supports on which vthey are rotatably mounted for turning on their longitudinal aXes and said supports having between them and said frame pivotal connections providing for upfward and downward, as well as forward and rearward, movements of the outer ends of said gatherers, and said gatherers being laterally ofset from said pivotal connections and in advance, at their mutually adjacent ends, of the foot shaft of said conveyor when they are in their positions at least relatively nearly perpendicular to said vertical plane.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS UNITED STATESQATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,908,374 October 13, 1959 John D. Russell It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column ll, line 35, beginning with "said positions substantially" strike out all to and including "with respect t0 said conveyor" in line 37, same column column 12` line 45, for ."and" read .l means including cylinder and piston mechanism line 46, beginning with "including cylinder andn lstrike out all to andl including "relative to said base" in line 50, and insert the same after "means" in line 73y same column.

\ Signed and sealed this 9th day of August 1960.

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL H. AXLINE AAttesting Officer ROBERTl C. WATSON Commissioner of Patents 

